- Prep-time: / Ready In:
- Makes 16 bars
- Serving size: 1 of 16 bars
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Dried figs are simmered and blended into a creamy paste with vanilla and lemon juice to bring out the natural sweetness of this delicious Mediterranean fruit. Almond flour lends nutty richness to the oat-based crust, and a crumbly walnut topping adds a satisfying crunch to create finger-licking-good fig bars. Gluten-free and packed full of good-for-you ingredients, these tasty treats are ideal as an afternoon snack.
By Katie Simmons,
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried Mission figs
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup pitted dates
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 2-quart square baking dish with parchment paper.
- For filling, in a small saucepan combine figs and 1 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until figs are soft. Transfer figs and cooking liquid to a blender or food processor. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Cover and blend until smooth.
- For crust, in a food processor combine the next six ingredients (through salt). Process until well combined. Add ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and process until mixture comes together into a ball. (You may not use all the water, depending on how dry the dates are.) Press crust mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish.
- For topping, in a small food processor combine walnuts and oats. Pulse a few times until mixture is small crumbly pieces. Add 2 tablespoons water; pulse three to five times or until pieces are pea-size and crumbly.
- Spread fig filling over crust in baking dish. Sprinkle with topping. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes in baking dish. Using parchment paper, remove bars from baking dish. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 16 bars.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving (1 of 16 bars): 178 calories, 23 g carbohydrates, 4.7 g protein, 8.6 g total fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 129 mg sodium, 3.4 g fiber, 11 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
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Comments (31)
(5 from 15 votes)Tastes great! Topping ingredients seemed sparse so I doubled it. Base layer was too thick in proportion to the filling so next time I’ll cut it by 1/3.
Do I have to use cashews. Can I use flax seed instead.
Wondering how to use fresh figs in this recipes. What is the consistency of the figs once cooked? The quantity (3 cups)?
can these be frozen?
Hi Sofia! Yes, these will freeze well. You might even find you can eat them frozen or half-frozen (I love eating oat cookies straight from the freezer - the dried fruit makes them go all chewy!)
Do you have to pay something to print these recipes? if so how much please.
Hi Gail, You can print any recipe on the website for free! Just click the print/save button at the top of the page; there, you'll be asked for your email address. Once you've entered your email, you'll be redirected to a PDF of the recipe, which you can print. And you'll be signed up to receive our newsletter. Happy baking!
How can I get the nutrient breakdown for your recipes? thanks, Margo
Hi Margo, We are currently working on adding nutritional information to all our recipes and anticipate for this feature to be live on the website in coming months. Please stay tuned for updates!
I made these and thought they were wonderful! After a few days of mellowing, they were soft like a fig Newton bar. I tried to eat them sparingly as I am trying to lose weight and managed to make them last 2 weeks...almost!
Amanda: I would think raw walnuts would work similar to the cashews.
My daughter is allergic to cashews. What could I use as a replacement?
Amazing recipe! I use a mixture of mission and golden figs and double the topping. I made these for a dear friend who doesn’t eat gluten, dairy or sugar but everyone loves them!
I like making treats for a young diabetic, I really need the carb count! Why do you never list the nutrition facts?
These sound delicious! But where are the nutrition facts??
Came out fabulous. I was able to do it all in my blender, except I did add extra water to the bottom crust in a bowl. Really great recipe I will use frequently.
These bars are AMAZING! I've been making them for several months now and my family LOVES them! I'm wondering if they're able to be frozen, and if so, for how long? Also, if I'm shipping some to people out of state, do they ship well?
I came here to ask the same thing1
I used Smyrna dried figs because those are the ones I had on hand, this recipe turned out delicious. I didn’t know that cooked figs could taste so sweet.
This is a great recipe, easy to make and incredibly tasty!
Anything that will substitute for the baking pwd/ soda? In recipes? Like the fig bars?
These are always a favorite! Friends always want these when we go to parties.
So yummy, made mine with fresh figs and doubled the topping.
This was excellent! I used dried Smyrna figs because that was what I had in the house. After reviewing the comments below I added more water in making the crust, and doubled the walnut/oat topping portion. Everyone in the house loved it! Can't believe I found a gluten-free, vegan, no sugar added, healthy plant based desert that is really good!
Sorry, but not good for me. Crust is dry and fig layer is bitter. Topping is barely enough to cover anything... need to triple the topping ingredients. Mission figs were not something I'll use again. [I know I like the brown turkish figs in other dishes.] I also think this recipe could be improved with fresh, not dried figs. I hate to lose my time and ingredients, so I peeled off the fig topping and I plan to use the base crust as a crumble for some parfaits or something with yummy fruits for moisture.
These bars are so easy to make and so delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Could you use this recipe to make bars with other fruits like Blueberries, or another berry? Dates? It looks like you can if you prepare the fruits. Am I off base here? I loved the starbucks blueberry bar and I wanted to replace it with a recipe from fok and I think this is it. Let me know please.
Are they ok to freeze?
I hope this is available soon for the Meal Planner!
It is in the queue for adding and should be synced within the coming weeks, Andrea!